Eve's POV:
Ashton takes my hand and leads me to the balcony, where Calum and a blonde boy sit talking about I think sports.
"Hey! Quiet girl!" Calum greets me, I laugh.
"Hey, loud boy…" I kid with him, he laughs and squints his eyes. Cute.
"Uh, Eve this is Niall. Niall, Eve."
And as I wait for the blonde boy to have the same accent as the others, he hits me with something different.
"Pleaser ta meet 'ya."
An Irish accent.
"Are you Irish?" I ask.
"No, I'm Jamaican." He says, I laugh.
"Yes, I'm Irish. Born and raised." He says proudly, I smile.
"Ash talks quite a mouf full about 'ya." His accent is so strong, I don't think I've ever heard anything like it. I think I'm stupidly mesmerized.
"Everyone keeps saying Ashton talks about me…" I flush, Ashton's hand stays on my hip.
"Cause it's true." Niall says.
"'Ya know, when I herd dat you were only fourteen, I was tinking that you were like, well, that you acted younger."
"A lot of people say I'm mature for my age." I can feel Ashton's hot breath on my neck, it sends goosebumps down my spine. Ashton kisses my head.
"Yea, I can see." He says. "Well I'm all old now…" Niall huffs.
"Oh, how old are you?" I ask.
"Twenty."
Oh. Ashton's twenty. Is it really that old?
"Same age as Ash?"
"Yes, indeed." He says.
"Well we should go," Ashton says.
"What? No, let the girl stay." Calum wines. "She needs to loosen up a bit." He adds, Ashton glares at Calum.
"I'm not gonna get her drunk or anything, sheesh." He promises.
"I'll keep an eye on her, mate. Go, enjoy your party." Niall says more maturely.
Oh, he is twenty.
Ashton looks down at me. "You sure?" He asks. I nod.
"Yea, I'll be okay," I talk softly. "Go, have fun." He smiles and kisses me.
"Okay." He says against my lips, but before Ash goes, he whispers something to Calum and Calum nods, then looks at me.
Oh god.
Ashton kisses my cheek again and whispers "I love you, I'll come get you later." Before leaving.
"C'mon chica," Calum holds out his arm, I wrap mine within it. "Let's go get you a drink."
***
Calum, Niall and Michael, all watch me as I place the cup to my lips.
"Wait," I stop myself, they all grown and complain. "What's in it again?" I ask.
"It's just a margarita mix, no alcohol. Trust me." Calum says. "Bottoms up!" Michael pushes.
I laugh and sniff it once more before drinking it, then let the juice flow through my system.
He's right, I don't taste any alcohol in it, not that I would know what alcohol tastes like but… I don't think it'd taste like cherries.
Everyone cheers after my first sip, I realize that I haven't left Calum's side. Something about him is just familiar and homey.
Maybe cause he smells like Ash.
I don't know.
"Atta girl," Cal says, I hand the cup back to him.
"Keep it." He says. I look at his eyes, they're very pretty you know. Big, brown eyes peering at you through lovely long lashes.
"Okay." I say and take another sip.
***
The music was good but then it got loud, girls got drunk, and guys got horny. Two guys came up to me and asked me to 'grind on them.'
Cal told them to fuck off.
"Sorry, I think the word about Ashton's birthday got out and a few people just invited themselves."
"It's alright, I'm used to asses." I say. I cringe when the bass of the music gets louder, it hurts my ears.
"C'mon," Cal takes my hand and leads me somewhere else, walking past the sweaty, drunken people and back to the balcony where I met Niall.
Calum shuts the door behind us and my headache dials down.
"Thanks." I say, leaning my elbows over the balcony as I watch the stars.
"Better?" He joins me.
"Yes."
We both look up at the stars for a second and then Cal speaks.
"So, you and Ash huh?" He asks.
"Yea." I flush.
"How's that going by the way? I was gonna ask you earlier but I didn't wanna embarrass you and ask in front of everyone…"
"It's going great." I smile.
"C'mon," He nudges my arm. "Spill the beans, chica." He says, I laugh.
"Here, I'll be a girl." He flips his imaginary hair and rests his chin on his palm, then flutters those long lashes of his. I throw my head back laughing.
"It's been great." I start, looking down at the city lights below us. "Really great. I never thought I could love someone so much, or fall so hard, you know?… I don't know… It sounds really cheesy now that I say it out loud but… He's perfect." I look up at Calum, he looks at me sweetly.
"I'm just glad he's happy." He says. "He's never been so confident before, ever. I'm not sure if the other boys knew but ever since I saw his scars I just-"
"Scars?"
"Oh yea… Ash didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"He was suicidal for a year. He cut for about three years, that's why he wears all of those bracelets. To cover the scars. But he stopped about four months ago."
I watch Calum's breath leave his lips.
"Ash and I met four months ago." I say.
"You don't think," I pause. "You don't think he stopped… because of me? Do you?"
"Well I don't know." Cal looks out into the stars. "Makes sense though."
Moments go by and we both just continue to gaze at the summer night sky.
"You make him really happy, Evelyn."
